Top-comb clearer.



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1,074,294. Patented sept. so, 1913.

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El A. RooNEY. TOP C OMB OLEARBR. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17, 1912.

1,074,294. Patented Sept.30,19`13.

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COLUMBIA FLANUURAPH Co.. wAsH'lNmoN. D. C.

Larnaca.

EDWIN A. ROONEY, 0F FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITIN MACHINE WORKS, OF WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, AV CORBORATION OF MAS- saonusnrrs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

TOP-00MB CLEAR-ER.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

Application filed January 17, 1912. Serial No. 671,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. RooNnY, a citizen of ,the United States, residing in Fairhaven, county of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, have invented Vthe following described newY and useful improvements in Top-Comb '.Clearers.

'The invention relates to Heilmann combers, and especially to such combers wherein the top combs are heldin stationary Vworking relation to the revolving combing cylinder, the object of the invention being to apply a suitable clearer to the `oscillating knife or blade of the nipper mechanism in compact, durable and practical form, whereby `on each nipping stroke such clearer will be caused to engage the teeth ofthe top comb and clean them of the combings and dirt thereon, depositing the latter upon the combing cylinder from which they are discharged in theusual manner.4 Y

In the drawings Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section throughsuch familiar parts of a combing machine as are necessary to illustrate the relation of my invention thereto and itsuse and the manner of its cooperation therewith. Figs. 2 and 3 are top;

and bottom perspective views, respectively, of the clearer proper, which preferably consists of a brush ,of simple form. Fig. 4' is a perspective view representing an intermediate stage in the manufacture of the clearer brush. Fig. 5 is a section of the same clearer in a further stage, and Fig. 6

is a perspective view ofthe finished clearermounted on the nipper knife.

In Fig. 1 the combing cylinder is marked 1, `being mounted on the combing shaft 2, and provided with a combing half-lap,

and a detaching half-lap4. The top comb which Vis disposed as usual vabove thecombing cylinder, comprises a comb plate 5, to

the lower edge of which is aiiixed a row of line needles or comb teeth 6, the plate itself being angularly adjustable on a pair of similar top comb arms 7, only one-of which is shown in Fig. 1. Each of these arms is pivoted on a suitable shaft or axle in the rear, not shown, and isprovided with a bearing screw marked 8, by which it rests upon a suitable fixed abutment 9, so that fthe rowef comb teeth 6 is thus supported in .a stationary positionand' at'the appropriate .distanceof separation from Athe path of the revolving combing half-lap, between which and the top comb the tuft of lap is held by the nipper mechanism while the combing thereofis taking place. The top comb is thus held in a fixed position but can be lifted and turned back from such position, by manually swinging the arms upwardly from their abutments 9, in which case the comb teeth will follow the pat-h indicated by the dotted arc in F ig'. l, and as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art.

The nipper mechanism as illustrated comprises a nipper frame shown in section at 10, and upon the under side of which the cushion plate 11 is adjustably mounted.

The frame will be understood as properly supported on the main frame of the comber, being'stationary thereon, so that the cushion plate is also stationary, occupying substantially the position indicated in the drawing, .wherein its forward edge just clears the combing cylinder. The moving part of the nipper mechanism comprises the nipper knife or blade 12, carried adjustably on the ends of the nipper levers 13, and which is adapted to be moved downwardly and against the cushion plate by the oscillation of such levers imparted to them in the usual manner by the upward action of the nipper connecting rod 14 to which they are connected. Inthe present instance the blade of the nipper knife is formed of a flat metal plate recessed to receive a strip 15 of fiber or leather constituting its nipping edge, and includes also a front plate 16, which covers and extends beyond the fiber strip so that it will overlap the front edge of the cushion plate when in its closed position and thereby project the tuft downwardly toward the teeth of the combing half-lap.

The clearer brush of Vthis invention is preferably mounted directly `on the front face of the plate 16, as shown in the drawings and described below.

The usual detaching and piecing mechanism is includedin Fig. 1 of the drawings, and comprises the three rolls 17, 18 and 19, and their clearer cover 20, all of which are necessarily disposed permanently or intermittently, in a position close to the front of the `top comb so as to be suiiiciently close to the nipper mechanism to engage and draw the t-uft projecting therefrom, and this condition it will be observed, imposes a definite limitation on the space between the top comb and the plate 16 of the nipper blade, in which space the top comb brush of this invention is mounted and operates.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, in operation, the nipper knife opens to receive the end of the lap to be combed, fed thereto by the feed rolls not shown, and thereafter closes upon the cush-k ion plate so as to nip the lap thereon and hold the projecting end or tuft thereof against the combing half-lap. The dotted lines in Fig. l represent the closed position of the nipper knife. After the passage of the combing half-lap, the tuft is next engaged. by the detaching half-lap and by it brought into contact with the detaching roll 17, whereupon the ensuing motion of this roll and the others detaches the tuft from the body of lap and draws it forwardly and through the teeth of the top comb by which the rear part of the tuft is combed in passing, the detached and combed tuft being thereupon overlapped or pieced with preceding tufts to form the continuous `sliver product of the comber. In the meantime the nipper' knife has been again raised or opened to receive the next succeeding feed of lap, which is then combed, detached and pieced in like manner, and on each down stroke of the nipper knife, the top comb brush carried thereon encounters and cleans the teeth of the stationary top comb.

The top comb clearer brush is'made of a sheet of metal, as shown in Figs. 2 to 6, folded over upon itself forming the two parts 21 and 22 of which the part 21 forms the brush-stock proper, for which purpose such portion is perforated with a marginal row of holes and the bristles are drawn into these holes and secured by a fine wire 23, being thus mounted in a perpendicular relation to the brush-stock member, as clearly shown in Figs; 2 and 3'. rl`he other part 22, of the metal blank or sheet is then folded over upon and against the row of'bristles so as to deflect them from their natural perpendicular positions, giving them at first the inclination shown by Fig. t, and later substantially that shown by Fig. 5. ln the latter condition of the metal, the opposing oblong slots 24 in the two portions of the blank are brought into registry, adapting them to receive the screws 25 by which the brush is secured to the nipper' knife blade, such screws being tapped directly into the plate 16, so that the clearer as a whole can be moved up or down on the said plate according to the adjustment desired therefor and as later explained. While the brush might be otherwise formed, it is essential to make it so thin that it will not encroach on the clearance necessary to be provided in the rear of the top comb in which the latter moves when swung back and whenangularly adjusted with reference to its support-ing arms, this last mentioned adjustmentbeing necessary to accommodate thertop comb to dierent kinds of work. above described can be satisfactorily made of sheet metal of about .02 Linch thick and is thus easily disposed in the restricted quarters in which it is shown. The folded over portion 22, constitutes a gage plate or adjuster member for determining the proper angle Vfor the brush ,bristles with reference to the brush stock 22 and the top comb, and so as to enable them to operate on-t-he top comb teeth, in the required direction and to the necessary extent fo-r removing the dirt and combings, which latter ad here to the comb teeth with some tenacity. Such `plate is necessarily movablewith reference `to the brush-stock portion or the nipper-knife, in order to vary the inclination of the bristles, but instead of providing a separate hinge for it, or for the brush-stock,

The brush construction I as might be done, it is preferred to use the sheet metal itself as the hinging means,

such metal being preferably soft brass and therefore suiiiciently pliable for' this pur# pose.V Thus either before o r after the clearer has been fastened tothe nipper blade by the screws 25, the lower portion, substantially thelower half, ofthe gage plate 22, may be bent in or out (see the dotted lines in Fig. l) Y and will thereby allow the bristles to assume more or less of their natural forwardjinclination due to their own elasticity, and'will thus cause them' to engage the comb teeth atV any suitable angle, without, however, Vcausing the out-turned edge of the gage or adjuster plate to encroach on the clearance space above referred to, thoughA even if contact thereof should occur with the top comb when the latter is turned back, serious injury to neither would be likely to result because of the thinness o-f the gage plate and its adaptability to yield to the superior stiffness of the row of comb teeth. Y j Y In normal position, the bristles Vproject downwardly a sufficient extent to reach hen low kthel ends of the top `comb teeth and the lowest lpoint ofthe cushion plate when the nipper is closed, that is to say to point nearer to the axis of the comb cylinder. At this Vpoint they occupy aV position in which the half-lap needles will clean, them of the combings t-aken from the topY `comb, at the same time as such half lap combs the projecting tuft, and the combings thus deposited in the halflap will'beremoved by the rotary brush 26, indicated by dotted line in Fig. l, and eventuallyV discharged comb, now generally practised, is entirely eliminated with a corresponding saving in time and labor. -1

I claim, Y

l. The combination with the combing cylinder, top -comb and nipper mechanism of a Heilmann type comber, of the movable nipper knife of such mechanism having a clearer brush mounted thereon adjacent to the rear of the top comb and adapted to be moved by the knife to clean the top comb teeth. f

2. In a Heilmann comber Vthe combination with the combing cylinder, of a top comb having fixed working position with reference to the cylinder, nipper mechanism including a movable nipper knife, and a top comb clearer carried thereby adapted to engage and clean the top comb teeth upon the closing movement of the knife.

3. A Heilmann comber having ,a combing cylinder and a top comb mounted in a xed working position above the cylinder, in combination with nipper mechanism includinga nipper knife, and a top comb brush carried thereby having the ends of its bristles eX- tending below the points of the top comb teeth when the knife is in its closed position.

a. In a Heilmann comber, a combing cylinder, a top comb, and nipper mechanism comprising a stationary cushion plate and a movable nipper knife, in combination With a top comb clearer brush mounted on the front face of the nipper knife and having its bristles mounted thereon to project below the lower side of the said fixed cushion plate.

5. In a Heilmann comber vhaving a top comb 'and a movable nipper knife, a clearer brush for the top comb consisting of abrushstock carried by the knife, having a row` of bristles suitably fastened thereto and having a natural forward inclination, in combination with a gage plate deflecting the bristles and prescribing a determined inclination therefor with respect to the top comb, suiting such bristles to engage and clean the teeth of such top comb.

6. In a Heilmann comber having a top comb and a movable nipper knife, a top comb brush secured on the forward face of the knife, comprising a row of bristles and having means for varying the angular position of the bristles with reference to the top comb.

7. In a Heilmann comber having a top comb and a movable nipper knife, a clearer brush for the top comb consisting of abrushstock carried by the knife and provided with a row of bristles projecting therefrom, in combination with a gage member engaging the row of bristles and movable with reference to the brush stock to vary the projecting angle of the bristles.

8. In a Heilmann comber having a combing cylinder, a normally stationary pivoted top comb and a normally oscillating nipper knife, the combination of a thin, Vfiat brushstock mounted on the nipper knife inside of the arc of movement of the top comb and provided with a row of bristles adapt-ed to engage said comb, and means for adjusting the bristles with reference to their dist-ance from the combing cylinder.

9. In-a Heilmann comber having a top comb Vand movable nippel' knife, a clearer brush for the top comb consisting of a row of bristles having a pliable metallic support secured to the face of the knife and adapted to be bent for adjusting the angle of the bristles with reference to the top comb.

l0. In a Heilmann comber having a top comb and a movable nipper knife, a clearer brush carried by the nipper knife and consisting of a metallic plate folded over upon itself forming a brush-stock proper and a gage plate, said brush-stock having a row of bristles thereon engaged by the gage plate and maintained thereby at an angle to the top comb.

11. In a Heilmann comber having a fixed top comb and a movable nipper knife, a clearer brush for the top comb secured to the nipper knife and provided with means permitting its adjustment in the plane of the knife combined with means for adjusting the angle of the bristles with reference to the top comb.

l2. In a Heilmann comber, the combination with the combing cylinder, top comb and nipper knife, of a clearer brush consisting of a folded sheet metal brush-stock secured to the front face of the nipper knife in rear of the top comb, and having its bristles projecting in front of the brush stock adapted to encounter the teeth of the ,top comb.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specication in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN A. ROONEY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. EARNSHAW, OSCAR L..OWEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

